Gang sewing-machsne



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

M. GARDNER.

GANG SEWING MACHINE. No. 386,700. Patented July 24, 1888.

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(No Model.)

3 SheetsSheet 2. M. GARDNER.

GANG SEWING MACHINE.

Patented July 24, 1888- @Zivmad N. PETERS. Pllolo-Llflmgnphen Wnshmglm(No Model.) I M GARDNER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

GANG SEWING MACHINE. No. 386,700. Patented July 24, 1888.

N. PETERS. Fhalollithogmphor. Wnhinglon, a. Q

EJMTE STAT S ATENT MARSHALL GARDNER, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TOJAMES STONE AND THOMAS H. BALL, BOTH OF SAME PLACE, AND SIMON FLORSHEIM,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GANG SEWING MACHENE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 388,700, dated July 24,1888.

Application filed June 22, 1886.

To all whom it ntay concern:

Be it known that I, DIARSIIALL GARDNER, of Aurora, in the county of Kaneand State of Illinois, have invented certain new and use- 5 fulImprovements in Gang Sewing-Machines; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thcreon,which form a part ofthis specification.

This invention relates to sewing-machines ofthat class known as"gang-machines,or machines adapted for sewing at once two or moreparallel lines of stitching.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and pointedout in the appended claims.

The machine herein illustrated as embodying my invention comprises asits essential features a reciprocating needle-bar carrying a series ofneedles arranged side by side at a distance apart equal to the spacesbetween the proposed lines of stitching, a series of shutties or bobbinsof disk form, and a series of hooks or hooked boblnn-carricrs generallysimilar to the revolving hook bobbin-carriers heretofore employed insingle-needle machines; but which are constructed to oscillate insteadof to revolve, as will hereinafter fully appear.

The said machine is more pa'iriicula-rly intended for use in stitchingbones in corsets; but it may be employed as well in other cases where itis desired to make a number of parallel lines of stitching.

The invention may be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying d rawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elcvatioinwith theprincipal operative parts in central vertical section, of asewing-machine constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is aplan view of the devices for holding and actuating the bobbins detachedfrom the other parts of the 45 machine. Fig. 3 is adetail sectionillustrating the bobbin-carriers, taken upon line of Fig.1. Fig. -;L isa detail perspective view illustrating the main parts of thebobbiircarriers. Fig. 5 is a detail section taken upon line ll :r ofFig. 3. Fig. 6 is adetail sectional Serial No. 1051*;10. (No modvlf:

view taken upon line y y of Fig. 1, illustrating a device employed inthe particular ma chine shown for actuating the oscillatingbobbin-carriers. Fig. 7 is a. sectional view similar to Fig. 5,illustrating another form of the 5 bobbiircarriers. Fig. 8 is aperspective View of several bobbin-carriers like that shown in Fig. 7.Fig. 9 is asectional view taken upon line out of Fig. 7. Fig. 10 is adetail sectional view taken upon line 3 y of Fig. 7. Fig. 11 is a detailsectional view taken upon line z z of Fig. 7.

As illustrated in the said drawings, A indicates the main frame of themachine; A, the top plate thereof; B,the needle-arm; C,the rcciprocatingneedle-bar, and c c a series of needles arranged side by side at adistance apart equal to the spaces between the proposed lines ofstitching and having operative coir ncctionin any common or preferredway with the said needlebar.

I) D are bobbins of a well known disk form, consisting of two convexplates and a central connecting-bar, and I] E are a series ofoscillating hooked l'iobbin-carricrs adapted to turn about an axiscoincident with the central axes of the bobbins, and provided with hookse, constructed and operating in the oscillating movement of thebobbin-carriers to engage the loops of the needle-threads and to carrythem around the bobbins.

F is a longitudinally-arranged revolving shaft, by means of which motionis given to the several parts of the machine, said shaft being, asherein shown, located in the needle- 8 arm B and provided with the usualbalancewhcel, F, and belt-pulley F The said shaft F is connected withthe needle-bar by devices giving a reciprocatory movement to the latterin any well known or preferred manner.

The several hooked bobbin-carriers E E in the particular constructionshown are attached to and supported and actuated by alongitudinally-arranged shaft, G, having bearings at a, a in themachine-frame adjacent to the stitchforniing devices and a thirdbearing, a", at a point at the opposite end of the machine. Any suitablemeans may be provided for giving the desired oscillatory movement to thesaid shaft G and the books 6, one desirable device for this 4 purposebeing herein shown, and consisting of an oscillating lever, H, pivotedbetween its ends to a stud, 1), upon the needle-arm 13, and providedwith a pin, h, at its upper end engaging a cam, F upon the driving-shaftF, and with a segmental gear, H, at its lower ends engaging atooth-pinion, G,upon the shaft G. A cam groove, f, is formed in the flatface of the cam-wheel F for engagement with the pin 11, said camgroovebeing constructed to give one complete vibration of the lever H at eachsingle rotation of the shaft F, so that the shaft G and the hooks willbegiven a backward and forward oscillatory movement during each completereciprocation or upward and downward movement of the needle. The saidcam-groove will be shaped to move the shaft G and the hooks at varyingspeeds at different parts of their movement, so as to give suitable slowmotion or dwell at the time the hook is engaging the needle-thread, asis common in thread-carrying devices of the character described. It isof course obvious that other means may be employed for giving anoscillatory movement to the hooks; but a construction embracing a camfor giving motion to said parts is preferred, inasmuch as the camenables a desired speed to be obtained in different parts of the motionof the said hooks, as above set forth.

The bobbin carriers E E in the particular construction thereof hereinillustrated in Figs.

1 to 5 are constructed of flat plates E, centrally perforated forlightness, and provided with marginal ribs or flanges E forming centralspaces or recesses, within which the bobbins are placed. Tl.e severalcarriers are attached to each other at their side margins by rigidconnections constructed to hold them parallel with each other andsupporting them from the shaft G, said rigid connections, as hereinshown, being formed by laterally-extending parts 6 of the plates E,which parts 6 are attached at their outer margins to a longitudinal partor bar,E ,arranged to rigidly sustain the several carriers withoutinterfering with the action of the hooks e in carrying theneedle-threads about the bobbins. The bar E is preferably attached tothe shaft G by means of crank-arms E fixed to the said parts; but saidbar may be otherwise attached to the shaft in practice, as may be foundconvenient or'desirable.

The plates E of the several bobbin-carriers, made as above described,are placed at suitable distances apart to receive the bobbins betweenthem, the bobbin belonging to and operating in connection with one ofthe carriers being held in operative position with relation thereto bycontact with the adjacent surface of the next carrierof the series, asclearly shown in the sectional view, Fig. 1, and in the plan View, Fig.2. The marginal flange or rib E of each carrier is extended from thehook c, which forms a part or extensionof the said flange,

around the margin of the plate E to a point nearly opposite the hook,theflange being omitted in a space adjacent to the point of the hook wideenough to admit the bobbin edgewise to its seat.

In the particular construction illustrated the flange E of each carriermerges into the connecting part or bar E, and the latter is constructedto form with the parts e of the plates E curved passages or recessesopening at one side of the structure formed by the several connectedparts and operating to guide or direct the bobbins as the latter areinserted and removed, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Any suitablespring retai ning device adapted to'permit the bobbins to beeasily inserted and removed, while at the same time retaining them fromaccidental displacementwhenin position for operation, may be employed inconnection with the carriers provided with lateral passages or openings,as above described. A simple and convenient device for this purpose isherein shown, in which a spring, I, is inserted and secured in a recess,6 in the part 6 of the plate E, said spring I being provided with acurved and yielding end, 13, adapted to extend normally beyond the flatface of the said web in position to engage the marginal part of thebobbin when the latter is in place, and constructed to yield backwardlyinto the recess by a relatively slight pressure thereon, so that abobbin may be readily slipped past said spring in inserting it withinand removing it from the carrier.

In the construction of the bobbin-carriers E E herein illustrated saidcarriers are made with spaces or recesses e", formed in the flat facesof the plates E adjacent to the bobbin and extending behind the hook eto receive the point of the needle in the downward movement of thelatter. The operation of the parts in making the stitch is more clearlyillustrated in the sectional view, Fig. 3, in which the hook e is shownin full lines at one limit of its oscillatory movement and in positionto engage the loop of the needle-thread held upon the needle 0, saidneedle being shown in said figure at the lower limit of itsmovement,with its point within the recess e. of said Fig. 3 illustratethe position of the hook when at the opposite limit of its movement andafter the needle-th read has been carried around the bobbin.

Each carrier E is provided in its periphery with a beveled surface, 6,adjacent to and at the rear of the hook e, adapted to deflect thethread-loop caught by the hook to one side of the hook, so as to causethe passage of said loop around the bobbin in a well-known manner. Thehooks are constructed to oscillate through an arc of suflicient lengthto bring them in such position that the thread-loops may be easily drawnor will slip therefrom, so as to form the stitches in the same manner aswhen a revolving hook is used, the said hooks being curved at their endsto facilitate the slipping of the thread-loops therefrom, as shown.

The dotted lines As herein illustrated, the hooks are constructed toturn through an arc of somewhat more than one-halfof a circle, asclearly shown in Fig. 3, in which figure is shown in dotted lines theposition of the loop of the needle thread at the moment before it iscast off or released from the hook.

Another and for some reasons a preferable construction in a hookedbobbin-carrier of the character above described is shown in Figs. 7 to11. In this instance the form of the bobbin carrier or support isgenerally the same as that before described, and the several carriersare connect-ed at one side thereof by a longitndinal bar orconnecting-piece, E, similar to that before described; but said bar,instead of be ing connected with the several bobbin-carriers by lateralextensions or plates upon the said carriers, is connected directly withthe circular parts or ribs 1- of said carriers, and provision is madefor the insertion and removal of the bobbins laterally from between theseveral carriers by making the latter with movablc sections or gates J,adapted to be opened or removed to form openings through which bobbinsmay be slipped in placing them in their seats and removing themtherefrom. Each section or gate embraces a part of the annular rim ofsuch thickness that when the gate is open an opening or space ofsufficient width will be formed between the permanent part of the rimand the adjacent face of the next carrier to allow the free passage ofthe bobbin, as clearly shown in Figs. 8 and 9. Said section or gateJpreferably embraces approximately one-half of the diameter of the rim ofthe carrier and is formed at the side of the carrier upon which theflange E" is located, and includes said flange. For the general purposesof the invention thcsaid movable section or gate J may be detachable orremovably secured upon or connected with the hooked car rier in anymanner found convenient or desirable. Onc desirable construction in thesaid gate or section is shown in the drawings, in which the gate ispivotally supported upon the carrier by a hinge or joint at one of itsends, so that its opposite or free end may be swung open, when desired,for the removal of the bobbin.

In the particular form of the hinged gate herein illustrated the gateextends from a point adjacent to the connecting-bar E" halfway aroundthe circnn'ifcrcnce of the carrier toward the hook c, and said gate isprovided at its end adjacent to said connecting-bar with an outwardlyprojecting lug orarm, J,adapted to engage the pivot-pin J", desirablyformed by a single rod extending the full length of the bar 1G. Thedividing-line between the gate J and the stationary part of the carrieris desirably arranged to pass through the inner edge of the marginalpart or flange 0 which in this construction takes the place of the plateEin the form of the device before described, and which serves toseparate and hold in place the several bobbins, this constructionobviously leaving a thin and fiat curved plate, E to atlord thenecessary rigid connection between the part of the carrier adjacent tothe book 6 and the bar E. The said plates are, as more clearly shown inFigs. 8 and 10, extended outwardly adjacent to the connectingbar E toform bearings or supports E for the pivot-rod J", said hearings orsupports being located between and affording lateral bearings for the lngs J of the gates J. The said gates are preferably provided at theirfree ends with projections or tongues j, entering andcngaging notches tin the rim of the carriergso as to hold the said gates immovably inplace when the latterare closed. Any suitable securing device may beapplied for holding gates pivotally sustained, as above described, intheir closed position, a convenient construction for this purpose beingherein shown, in which the projections or arms J upon the gates areprovided with flat facesj, upon which faces rest free ends of a seriesof springs, K, suitably sccured to the bar E, said springs obviouslytending to retain the free ends of the gates in close contact with theparts of the carrier engaged thereby.

In the construction above described, and illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5,the flat plates E thereof are extended behind the hooks c,so as to forma rigid connection between the said hook and the lateral projections cof the said plates, recesses e being provided to afford room for thedescent of needles. By reason of the narrowness of the space between thenee dies it may sometimes be desirable to omit any connecting partbetween the hook c and the bar E", and a construction of this kind isillustrated in Figs. 7 to 11, the entire space between the hooks in thiscase being available for the accommodation of the lower end of theneedle when the latter descends to bring the loopin position forengagement with the book. When this construction is used,howcver,thereis danger (owing to the narrowncss ofthe eX- ternat annular face orperiphery of the can rier) that the part of the thread-loop carriedbehind the hook, and which is intendedto slip forward over the latter bythe action of the beveled face 0, may slip past or over the shoulder 6into the space between the carrier with which the loop is engaged andthe adjacent one. To avoid the possibility of this occurrence, I providethe carrier adjacent to said shoulder c with an outward extension orflange, c constructed to come close to the under surface of the topplate of the machine in the forward rotative movement of the hook,

. so as to close the space between the hook and the said top plate atthe moment the loop is being drawn around the hook and against the saidshoulder c, and thereby effectively prevent the loop from slipping oversaid shoulder.

An important advantage gained by providing'the hooked carriers withgates J J as a means of inserting the bobbins is that by thisconstruction the employment of a relatively Its smalllaterally-extending part or projection at one side of the the carriersonly is necessary, so that said carriers may be oscillated through anarc of considerably more than one hundred and eighty degrees withoutbringing the connecting part or bar E against or in contact with the topplate of the machine, such extended oscillatory movement of the carriersobviously being desirable in order that the hooks may be brought into aposition more convenient for the escape of the thread loops therefrom.The position of the hook at the moment the thread-loop is cast therefromis indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 7. By reason of the advantagesgained by the employment of the gates J, as above stated, a form ofcarrier embracing said gates is herein specifically claimed as part ofmy invention.

In the particular construction illustrated the several bobbin-holders ofthe series shown are formed in orof asingle piece of metal;but saidparts may obviously in practice be formed or built up in any other wayfound desirable or practicable.

I have herein illustrated only the parts of a sewing-machine immediatelyconcerned in making the stitch, it being of course understood that anywell-known or preferred form offeeding devices, supports forthread-spools, tension devices, 850., may be used in practice, as may bedesired or preferred. A feeding device adapted for use with a series ofneedles and a corresponding series of thread-carriers or bobbins isshown,forinst-ance, in aprior application for Letters Patent, Serial No.189,566, filed by me in the United States Patent Office upon the 25thday ofJanu-ary, 1886.

In the understanding that a thread-carrying device comprising a seriesof hooked bobbin-carriers constructed and adapted to oscillate about acommon axis is new, I do not wish to be restricted to any particularform of or construction in the carriers themselves, or to be limited tothe devices herein shown for supporting and actuating said carriers.Gertain features of construction in the devices herein shown and abovedescribed, whereby the main feature of my invention may be convenientlyand advantageously carried into practice are, however,made the snbj ectof specific claims herein.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination, with a series ofreciprocating needles, of a series of bobbins, a series of hookedbobbin-carriers rigidly connected with each other and constructed tooscillate about a common axis, and means giving an oscillatory motion tosaid bobbiacarriers, substantially as described.

see-10o 2. The combination, with a series of reciprocating needles and aseries of bobbins, of a series of oscillating hooked bobbin-carriersrigidly connected with each other and turning about a common axis, saidseveral bobbincarriers being provided with lateral openings for thebobbins, admitting the latter edgewise into the carriers, and holdingdevices for retaining the bobbins within the carriers, substantiall y asdescribed.

3. The combination, with a series of reciprocating needles and a seriesof bobbins, of a series of rigidly connected hooked bobbincarriershaving lateral openings or spaces adapted for the insertion of thebobbins edgewise into the carriers, and provided with movable parts orgates closing said openings and holding the bobbins in place,substantially as described. I

4. The combination, with a reciprocating needle and a bobbin, of anoscillating hooked bobbin-carrier having a lateral space or openingadapted for the insertion of the bobbin edgewise into the carrier, andprovided with a movable section or gate pivoted to the carrier with itspivotal axis parallel with that of the bobbin, and a means for securingthe gate when the latter is closed, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a reciprocating needle'and abobbin, of a hookedbobbin-carrier having a lateral space or opening adapted for theinsertion of the bobbin edgewise into the carrier, and provided with amovable section or gate pivoted to the carrier with its pivotal axisparallel with the axis of the carrier, and a spring applied to hold thegate in its closed position, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with a reciprocating needle and a bobbin, of ahooked bobbin-carrier having a lateral space or opening adapted for theinsertion of the bobbin edgewise into the carrier, and provided with amovable section or gate pivoted to the carrier with its pivotal axisparallel with the axis of the carrier, said gate being provided with aprojection or tongue, j, engaging a notch or recess in the carrier, andmeans for holding the gate in its closed position, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

MARSHALL GARDNER.

W'itnesses:

JAMES STONE, CHARLES TYLER.

